Recipe: Lemon Cheesecake with Fresh Fruit

This recipe? YUM. Completely indulgent, save it for a get-together where you can serve it to lots of people so you don't have to bring leftovers home.  Because trust me, you will eat it all after everyone goes to bed. Just sayin'.






Lemon Cheesecake with Fresh Fruit

Ingredients:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbs sugar
6 tbs melted butter

4 packages  (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp.  flour

1 cup sour cream

1 pkg.  (3.4 oz).lemon flavor instant pudding

4 eggs

2 cups whip cream

Fresh fruit: I like to use blueberries, sliced strawberries and sliced peeled kiwis 

Mix together graham crumbs, butter and sugar.  Now, you can use the graham crumbs from the box like I started out....

 Then realize that you don't have quite enough so you rustle up a random package of graham crackers from the pantry.  Crush them inside the now empty pre-crushed crumbs bag with the edge of an ice cream scoop.

Realize that it's not working and use a rolling pin thingy.

Decide, "screw it" (excuse my language, I was very frustrated) and just use the mini food chopper to properly crush the graham crackers.

OR, just make sure you have enough of the pre-crushed ones on hand.  Whatever.

MOVING ON...

Line a 9x13 pan with foil, making sure to leave some hanging over the edges.

Press crust in pan and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes.

Beat the cream cheese on low until nice and smooth...low and slow is the name of the game with cheesecake, folks!  Add in sugar, dry pudding mix and sour cream, one at a time and beat until smooth again.

Add in eggs, one at a time until well blended.  I like to crack the eggs one at a time into a measuring cup.  Digging egg shells out of cheesecake batter is not easy...or fun.  Don't be a baking snob, don't crack the eggs into the mixing bowl!

Pour over crust.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until center is almost set (which means jiggly, but not "wet").

 Cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

When ready to serve:  Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan and place on a platter.

Remove cheesecake from foil to tray.  Spread with whip cream.  Top with fruit.

Try not to be a perfectionist about the fruit or your brothers will make fun of you.

Enjoy!!

This post is linked to:
Homemaker Monday
A Southern Fairytale
Beauty and Bedlam
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays
Check them out for more recipes!

Oh yes, and I got the original recipe here but, of course, I changed it.